The Electoral Board today certified the results in the November 3 election. This afternoon, the campaign of Bobby Mathieson released the following statement:
There are still open questions in this race, and it is in the best interest of the voters of the 21st District for Bobby Mathieson to seek a recount. Bobby will continue to fight to ensure every single legally cast ballot gets counted in an open and transparent manner. As a lifelong public servant, he will always stand for good government, for transparency, and for serving the public interest. Close elections like this provide citizens the opportunity to shine a bright light on the electoral process, learn important lessons, and emerge better prepared for the next election.
The website shows a 14-vote lead for Republican challenger Ron Villanueva.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
So he can spend some more of the people’s money on a recount but what about pressing charges on Jason Robinson? When is that going to happen?
Perhaps you missed the announcement of the indictment last week. (The way such charges work, Mathieson is not the one who “presses charges,” by the way.)
I thought *I* was Spartacus?
I am glad to see Bobby doing this, and for the exact reasons he mentions. Although ‘recounting’ in most of Virginia involves checking the math for the 5th time, it is still an education, and proof that those who actually won actually won.
Well, since the total keeps changing, a recount hardly seems out of order.
A recount is almost a requirement when the vote total is this close.
vjp,
Yeah. I agree. A margin of 14 votes has to be recounted. Although recounts in Virginia very rarely change the outcome — I’m not aware of it ever happening, even in a very close race like this — you’ve got to make sure all the i’s are dotted and the t’s crossed.
Even though contrary to my partisan interests, I can’t disagree with Steve here. Recounts in races with tight margins should not be subject to partisan criticism. Confirmation of the original results are, nevertheless, typical in Virginia, and one reason Virginians can rightly take pride in the general integrity of our electoral system.
Does anyone think Mathieson is doing this for any high and mighty reason like “the opportunity to shine a bright light on the electoral process?”
Why can’t his campaign just say “We lost, and under a recount we hope to wind up winning.”
If he was so interested in the electoral process, he could’ve announced his correct cash on hand total throughout the campaign like every other campaign had to. Nope, he got to show a ZERO on every report. He wasn’t interested in shining a bright light on that.
Um, Brian, the SBE told him to report it that way. He was simply following instructions.
So was Ollie North.